Horror Story...brought to you by EGL (Help)

[iceme]

I have been duped. I bought from a local and supposedly reputable retailer an EGL 2.0ct E VS2, which was supposed to be an IDEAL cut!! I proposed with this diamond and her and I both looked at it for as long as we could. I took it to an appraiser who seems trustworthy, and he slashed it down to an SI1, and rated it a Class 3b (Fair-Poor) cut!!!

Fortunately, I can return this to get my money back. However, I need some advice. The stone looks really nice to us. I've since researched a similarly priced AGS 0 F 1.9ct, which i got ID'd before I buy and its on the money. Should I go back to the first retailer and demand a substantial discount and keep the stone, or get the smaller F? Are AGS 0 stones graded on or before May 5 2005 that much different than those graded after?

Thanks to all of you who have replied. I'm updating this topic with the specs of the second stone:

Diam: 8.0 mm
Depth: 61.8%
Crown: 34.9 degrees
Pavil: 41 degrees
Table: 4.46mm/55.8%
culet: .7% v.small
girdle 1.4% Medium

 

[Kamuelamom]

Hi & welcome to Pricescope!

Date: 8/3/2005 4:19:45 AM
Author:iceme
Fortunately, I can return this to get my money back. However, I need some advice. The stone looks really nice to us. I''ve since researched a similarly priced AGS 0 F 1.9ct, which i got ID''d before I buy and its on the money. Should I go back to the first retailer and demand a substantial discount and keep the stone, or get the smaller F? Are AGS 0 stones graded on or before May 5 2005 that much different than those graded after?

If you feel you have been "duped" and can get yuor money back, I''d say trust your instinct and do so. Why keep a stone you are not happy (ie, been "duped" ) with even if you get a discount? I''d check closer into the F/1.9 and see what comes. What kind of info can you get on the stone? Can you provide more specific numbers on the 2nd stone?

Before we can give any other feedback it would be helpful to know more. We''re happy to help.

 

[Richard Sherwood]

If you like the first stone, give the seller a chance. He might give you a discount in order to "save" the sale. If so, it might sway your decision between the two.

I'd be curious what the cut specs are on the diamond. I'm not surprised at the one grade difference in clarity, but I find the large difference in cut grading curious. Usually a stone EGL grades as ideal would rank better than an AGA 3B.

I also would characterize a 3B cut (which AGA designates a second tier "commercial" make) as "good to fair" (on a scale of ideal, very good, good, fair & poor) rather than "fair to poor". The 4A grade is what I characterize as "fair", and 4B as "poor".

 

[mrssalvo]

I agree with Rich. If you both really love the stone and you can get the seller to discount the price why not keep it.

 

[orbaya]

I personally would return the stone and look into the 1.9 ct stone. Even if the store discounted the stone for you, I'd still have a bad taste in my mouth about it. I wouldn't want to look at a ring on my finger knowing that my fiance was "duped" the first time. I can't speak for the jeweler, perhaps they were hoping that you wouldn't get an appraisal on it? Perhaps the sales person sold what he truely thought the stone was...and wasn't very educated. I would rather have a diamond that is 1.9 ct that has much better cut. I could be wrong, but when the stone is that large, is .10 ct a big difference?


Of course, the decision is ultimately yours and what you both feel comfortable with. If you would prefer the 2ct that is discounted (if they can do it), and you both love the stone, then keep it.

Just my two cents.

 

[GemView]

Hi,

I would ultimately defer to the experts around here, but for what it's worth here are my two cents. After plugging your numbers into the HCA, it earns a "Very Good" across all categories. It's a 2.2, whereas the HCA ideal range cuts off at 2.0 so you're very, very close. The HCA says "it may be worth buying if the price is right."

Regarding the first stone: Was it an EGL US or EGL Israel or the like? Also, did the certificate actually have the word “Ideal” on it? Last but not least, does it also have the holographic imprints to confirm that it was a genuine cert (the EGL has had problems with fake certs, from what I read).

It hasn't been asked yet, and I don't wish to imply that it really is a problem by bringing this up, but who was your appraiser (in terms of credentials) and, second, does your appraiser also work as a retailer in the biz? (If they DO have diamonds to sell, perhaps some bias crept in—particularly if you stated that it was an EGL graded stone, which some afacianados won't touch.) If you didn’t tell them it was EGL graded, however, was the diamond already laser inscribed to that effect?

Incidentally, the other day I ran across an insurance industry newsletter that was aimed at training insurance reps how to evaluate diamonds. The information provided was well below what this site has to offer and quite humorous—in a frightening sort of way—to read, IMHO. Although I'm not in the jewelry or insurance field, I came from a profession where objectivity is also considered the highest ethical and professional goal, but if you knew what profession that is, most people—since it is quite popular to bash this particular profession—would probably laugh. Stranger things have happened! My point is, though it may not be PC to mention these last few questions/possibilities, if it makes you feel better and gives you an opportunity to decide whether to replace or keep the stone, than more power to you. Best wishes!

 

[oldminer]

The basic measurements you do have seem like a nice diamond, BUT you MUST obtain the crown height percentage AND the pavilion depth percentage in order for anyone to calculate the AGA Cut Class of the diamond. If someone fudged those numbers, the resulting grade is very much in doubt.

There ware ways that the stone could be virtually Ideal cut or not. It depends on the missing parameters. Of course it is also nice to have good or better polish and symmetry readings, too.

Do you have the missing data? Where did your adviser get it, if you don''t have it?

 

[iceme]

Crown Height is 15.9%
Pavil Depth is 42.6%

These numbers and the ones prior are specs of the second stone, the AGS 0

 

[LadyluvsLuxury]

Iceme although stats are useful (in most cases), it seems that the problem is not that you and your FI are unhappy with the stone but you feel that based upon the appraisal you paid too much for what the appraiser graded the stone to be. I would agree with previous posters and return to the jeweler armed with this info and give them an opporunity to offer you a discount in alignment with the appraisers findings (but keep in mind this would be based upon the assumption that they agree with the appraiser). If they are not willing to assist you then I would just return the stone and spend your money on a stone you feel is a better value. Either way, goodluck and keep us posted!